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The city of Park Rapids is looking to implement a storm water utility to finance storm water best management practices. A storm water utility is a method of financing administration, planning, implementation, construction and maintenance of storm water. The utility fee is typically charged against all developed parcels within a city based on the premise of "storm water runoff contributors pay." "We're looking at a $2 per month fee for all residential properties," said city planner Dan Walker. Parcels zoned multi-family residential, commercial, government, agricultural and industrial wi

Community members have come together to offer money and support after the moose sculpture downtown was vandalized Easter weekend. Moose Creek owner Tom Paulson said he is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the prosecution of the vandal or vandals. "I've had people coming in offering condolences," he said.

High scrap metal prices have inundated a Menahga recycling business, prompting complaints from nearby residents about noise and smell. Several residents attended the Menahga City Council meeting Monday to voice their concerns about Schaefer Auto, located in the city's industrial park. Cars and other metal scraps are crushed at the business. Residents who live near the auto recycling center say it is too noisy. The city's noise ordinance simply states that excess noise is a violation.

The Menahga City Council will revise its ordinance to have committee meetings follow open meeting law requirements, making them open to the public. The decision came after a lengthy discussion with city attorney Jeff Pederson Monday evening. He was asked to attend the meeting to address several questions from the council. Councilwoman Maxine Norman said she was concerned that committee meetings held with two council members were in violation of the open meeting law.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton visited with about a dozen constituents Wednesday morning in Park Rapids. Hubbard County was the 84th county he visited on his 87-county tour across Minnesota. The morning meeting at Bella Caffé focused on taxes, health care and education. "I'm all ears, I find I get some of my best information by listening to others," Dayton said. He is not seeking the DFL endorsement at the state convention. He explained that he will run in the primary election Aug.

The Miss Park Rapids Pageant is returning this Saturday with 22 girls participating. "Everything is really coming together," said pageant organizer Kristine Walsh. The event begins with a royalty reception at 5:30 p.m. Saturday followed by the pageant at 6:30 p.m. It includes four age categories so girls from kindergarten through juniors in high school can participate. Walsh has emphasized that it is not a beauty pageant.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to vote on a referendum to expand the Menahga School. Menahga School officials have scaled down the building project by about $3 million. This time the project is scaled down by about $3 million.

The large moose sculpture outside Moose Creek in downtown Park Rapids is no longer standing tall. Sometime over the weekend it was vandalized. The antlers and legs were broken off. Moose Creek owner Tom Paulson said he's not exactly sure when the vandalism happened but he's upset that "people have nothing better to do than terrorize the town" over Easter weekend, he said. "I'm contemplating doing some sort of reward for prosecution of whoever vandalized it because I just think it's sickening," Paulson said.